Chance of New Charter School Legislation in WA? (Tacoma, Republic: how much, home)

[Adrian71]

Originally Posted by docwatson

Hope WA takes the lead of 40 other states. Until we admit that choice is a good thing ... public schools should strive to be good enough that parents, given free choice, would choose them!

Yes! That's the crux of my argument here. I didn't want to open this thread with an obvious bias, but like everyone else I've heard the horror stories of kids graduating from public schools who can't find the United States on a map, or grasp basic math, or tell you the three branches of government, or spell anything beyond their own names. I think I got an OK (not great) education in public school, but I graduated 22 years ago, and from what I've read and heard since then, I don't get the impression that things have improved. My concern is that without more alternatives, public schools have no incentive to improve. We already spend more per student than almost every other Western nation, but the results don't seem to bear it out. It seems that something needs to change, and competition is almost always a healthy motivator.

Who has Bill Gates' phone number?

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by gnab gib

Who has Bill Gates' phone number?

Gates Foundation Education Newsletter
(edu newsletter From Gf - edu)

Education Strategy | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Don't consider this impossible. The Foundation provides lots of grants to innovative and well run programs. Get aligned with a 'receptive' school (harder to find than you will imagine) & a local teacher training institute, such as this posting from Portland today. Concordia University and Northeast Portland's Faubion School propose 'education corridor,' a possible model for shared expertise, facilities | OregonLive.com

If you are addressing a vital need in a progressive manner that will reach a broad audience, you have a good probability of getting grant funded.

Otherwise.... a local WA group of high tech entrepreneurs are working to develop a very good tutoring method, after realizing their kids were in much worst academic shape than the competition when heading for college.

I perceive that EDU (and medical care) in the USA will soon be 'out-sourced'. Hopefully in time for your student's participation.

[Adrian71]

^ Thank you for the excellent resources. I feel I have my work cut out for me, but I think it'll be a worthwhile fight.

[Adrian71]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Don't ever count on Charter Schools in WA while there is a very strong and political teachers union. AND a totally whacked State Supreme Court that will gladly overturn ANY voter initiative that gets strong voter support and may deplete BIG EXPENSIVE Gov programs. (hence why my property taxes went from $800 > $12,000 / yr).

If you are serious about educating your kids, you should take a job in Singapore or similar foriegn country that has wonderful public schools AND cultural exchange. Your kids will HAVE / WANT to learn several languages + get FREE scholarships to USA Ivy League schools, and then have GREAT international careers!

We love it in the Seattle area, and we just made one big cross-country move last year, so I don't think Singapore and the like are an option for us. But working to change the system in WA is certainly not out of the question.

Have you seen "Waiting for Superman"? I'm planning on watching it this weekend.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by gnab gib

...we just made one big cross-country move last year, so I don't think Singapore and the like are an option for us. But working to change the system in WA is certainly not out of the question.

Have you seen "Waiting for Superman"? I'm planning on watching it this weekend.

Getting the correct overseas position is a breeze for moving (they take care of everything and offer you a good Per-Diem to cover daily extras.) We made a significant $$ benefit from all our moves, tho they do take some effort on your part. (We did ~ 5 moves in 10 yrs, 3 were international, other 2 were building rural homes on acreage as homeschool projects for Jr high aged kids). The company takes care of moving your stuff, renting and managing your house on each end, as well as storing autos and providing first class airfare + annual paid trips home and to great vacation spots you could never dream of affording.

Good luck on changing the schools, they certainly need the help. I have never seen Superman I, II or anything else like it. No TV and I don't have much time or interest in movies. I did go to see Sound Of Music when it was released in the 1960's. Impressive

My kids complained about the lack of TV and mentioned ALL their friends had TVs (and Nintendos...). My response, "You need to find some other friends", or... "You don't like it here?, fine, there is always Dairy Farm Boarding School" (milking cows 4AM and 4pm, 7 days / week seems to keep kids plenty busy, worked for me, and many of my friends).. we saw each other one week a year at county fair, then maybe at a few pie socials, square dances, and chili suppers at the country school.

[Adrian71]

"Waiting for Superman" has nothing to do with the comic-book hero, actually. Well, OK, he inspired the title, but it's a terrific documentary (just watched it last night) about how public schools are failing our kids, and what some innovators are trying to do about it. (Bill Gates is among those interviewed.) A lot of blame is laid at the feet of the teachers' unions, but there's also an unspoken implication that the system simply doesn't work anymore. It's a system devised to meet the needs of a world that existed 50 years ago.

I was just reading about how Belgium uses a voucher system for all its public schools -- parents can take their share of public funding and send their kids to the public school of their choice. The schools that can't attract enough students simply go out of business. Contrast that to the American system, where you're locked into your neighborhood school, unless you can afford private school or have the fortitude to homeschool. For all practical purposes, there's no competition, and thus no incentive to improve. Couple that with automatic tenure that makes it nearly impossible to fire incompetent teachers, along with no mechanism for merit pay, and you end up with our failing system. There was a poignant moment in the film where the chancellor of D.C. schools proposed a system that allowed district teachers to choose keeping tenure with no merit pay, or giving up tenure with the chance of a six-figure salary with merit increases. The union wouldn't even allow the school board to vote on it.

Over and over I see people saying "we need more funding." Money alone isn't going to fix the problem. It's pretty clear that we also need to throw out the old paradigm and think about new ways to meet our kids' needs. It all starts with CHOICE. I sincerely hope Washington state wakes up to that fact.

(P.S. I'm right there with you on television. We own one but don't use it for anything but watching some occasional sports. Never watched a reality show in my life. If we can find what sports programming we like on the Web, we'll probably ditch our satellite and save $90 a month. I already anticipate complaints from the future kid, but he/she will just have to deal.)

[Sandy Nelson]

If something is out of sorts in our country I recommend becoming an activist for change rather than leaving the country and looking for a better situation overseas.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Sandy Nelson

If something is out of sorts in our country I recommend becoming an activist for change rather than leaving the country and looking for a better situation overseas.

BTDT for over 40 yrs, so... in some cases you just need to ACT in a manner that will assure the desired results for a time constrained deliverable. (like the education of your child, which is a very narrow window of time). Once you get deeply involved in the USA pubic K-12 EDU system, you may recognize the insurmountable barriers. Having just sat through an investor presentation from several very engaged and intellectual families who tried for 10 yrs to affect academic change and accountability in a WA district, and now are finally investing their own time, career, and $$ in a solution; I would say 'Good Luck', but as with any venture, know when to cut your loses and jump to plan B, or C, or D.

OutSource USA K-22 EDU for a quick,effective, and valid solution. This could be successful TODAY (same with healthcare, finance, and energy policy... solutions exist and are practiced everydaythe USA is very myopic)

[docwatson]

If something is out of sorts in our country I recommend becoming an activist for change rather than leaving the country and looking for a better situation overseas.

I think it is a valid point ... one reason I favor charter schools is that parents can get involved in creating an alternative to the bureaucratic system, that will hopefully influence the larger system in some way. In my life, rather than trying to fight the entire system. I have become much more interested in cooperating with like-minded people to create something new than try to change a system that isn't ready for change.

A strong NEA-supporting teacher once told me that poor parents whose children attended bad schools should be denied school choice, but instead they should become activists to change the entire bureaucratic school system. My response was, what parent who is working and raising a family has time to do that?! And the process could take decades! I'd rather see them focus energy on creating a charter school.

So I would become an advocate for changing that aspect of the system (charter school laws) so parents can be empowered to focus their energies on creating a new school. But I would not go as far as thinking "outsourcing" is the answer to everything - for-profit charters have performed miserably in PA. Schools should remain focussed on education, not $$.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by docwatson

I think it is a valid point ... one reason I favor charter schools is that parents can get involved in creating an alternative to the bureaucratic system, ....Schools should remain focussed on education, not $$.

But,,, you must not be from WA. There will be no Charter schools in WA (At least that is what I determined while fighting for them for the last 20 yrs...) After coming from 25 yrs previously in Colorado, and having family that led the Charter movement and legislation there and in CA..

Can't fight City Hall... especially in a State like WA where 3 geographically centric counties can carry the vote of the entire state. The issues / candidates do not even bother advertising / campaigning in the remaining 33 counties, why bother with the time or expense. (Actually the entire USA electorate is facing the same issue). Time for a revolution (or at least a little representation for those who are CREATING jobs in WA State. )